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Joanna Gleason

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Joanna Gleason
Born
Joanne Hall

(1950-06-02) June 2, 1950 (age 74)
Toronto, Canada
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Occidental College
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1972–present
Spouses
  • Paul G. Gleason
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1975; div. 1982)​
  • Michael Bennahum
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1984; div. 1990)​
  • ​
    (m. 1994)​
Children1
Parents

Joanna Gleason (born Joanne Hall; June 2, 1950) is a Canadian-American actress and singer, known for her performances in theatrical musicals and plays, and on film and television.

In theatre, Gleason originated the role of the Baker's Wife in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Into the Woods on Broadway, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical in 1988. She also received Tony nominations for her performances in A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1985) and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005). Her notable film appearances include supporting roles in Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) and Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), and Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997). On television she has appeared in ER, Friends, The West Wing, The Good Wife and The Affair.

Early life

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Joanne Hall was born in Toronto, the eldest of three siblings born to television producer and game show personality Monty Hall, and his wife, Marilyn (née Plottel), both of whom died in 2017.[1] At the time of her birth, her father was working at the Canada Wheat Board and had changed his name from Halparin to Hall. He later started his TV career and went on to fame as host of Let's Make a Deal.[2] In May 1956, the Hall family moved to New York and, in the early 1960s, they moved to Los Angeles.

Hall graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1968.[3] She was in the school's productions of The Music Man, The Mikado, The Grass Harp, and The Madwoman of Chaillot. In high school, Gleason received acting instruction from John Ingle, the soap opera star, who taught at BHHS from 1955 to 1985. She continued her education at UCLA,[4] then Occidental College, from which she graduated. Gleason has been a teacher herself, holding classes and workshops all over the country.[5]

Career

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Theatre

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Gleason made her professional debut in Promises, Promises in 1972.[6] Five years later she debuted on Broadway, originating the role of Monica in Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart's I Love My Wife (1977),[7] for which she was honored with a Theatre World Award.[8]

Gleason returned to Broadway in 1984 to appear in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing, as a replacement for the role of Charlotte originated by Christine Baranski.[9] In 1985 she played Pam in a revival of Peter Nichols' A Day in the Death of Joe Egg,[10] for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play. She won the Drama Desk Award in the same category the following year for her performances off-Broadway as Virginia in Terrence McNally's It's Only a Play and Trudy in Andrew Bergman's Social Security.[6]

Gleason had her greatest success as the original Baker's Wife in Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, firstly at the Old Globe Theatre, San Diego in 1986, before transferring to Broadway the following year. The New York Times, although somewhat critical of the production, described her as "wonderful,"[11] and she won both the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical (presented by her co-star Bernadette Peters) and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.[12] Her performance was captured on the original cast recording and in a filmed version broadcast on the PBS anthology series Great Performances.

In 1991 Gleason played the lead role of Nora Charles in Arthur Laurents, Charles Strouse and Richard Maltby Jr.'s Nick & Nora, a musical adaptation of The Thin Man that encountered numerous troubles in previews and closed after only nine performances.[13] As Muriel in the musical adaptation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005),[14] she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. The following year she played Titsiana in Douglas Carter Beane's The Cartells, a staged soap opera in which the New York Times deemed her "hilarious."[15]

In 2007, Gleason was honored by the New England Theatre Conference with a Special Award for Achievement in Theatre.[16]

Film & Television

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In 1979, Gleason was cast as supporting character Morgan in the television sitcom Hello, Larry starring McLean Stevenson; the series ran for two seasons but was poorly received. In the 1983 television movie Still the Beaver, she played Beaver's ex-wife Kimberly.

Gleason debuted on film in 1986, with roles in Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters (as Carol) and Mike Nichols' Heartburn (as Diana).[8] She worked with Allen again in Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), playing Wendy, the wife of Allen's character.[17] She has since appeared in numerous films including F/X2 (1991),[18] Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), The Wedding Planner (2001),[19] and Sex and the City (2004). She played the memorable role of Dirk's mother opposite Mark Wahlberg in Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights (1997).

On television, Gleason played the role of Nadine Berkus on the show Love & War (1992–95), several episodes of which she also directed, and Joan Silver on Temporarily Yours (1997).[20] She starred in the Lifetime series Oh Baby as Charlotte from 1998 to 2000, also directing episodes of this show. Shortly following the end of this series, she starred opposite Bette Midler on Bette as agent Connie Randolph.[21] She appeared in six episodes of the Canadian black comedy series Sensitive Skin as Veronica, from 2014 to 2016.

Gleason's numerous guest starring television credits include episodes of The West Wing, The Practice, King of the Hill, Friends, Password Plus, Tracey Takes On..., Murphy Brown, ER, The Outer Limits, The Good Wife, Blue Bloods and The Newsroom.

Personal life

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Gleason has been married three times. She was married to acting coach Paul G. Gleason. She kept his surname professionally, although they divorced on June 28, 1982. Later, she married Michael Bennahum.[2] Gleason has one child, Aaron David Gleason, from her first marriage.

Gleason has been married to actor Chris Sarandon since 1994. The two met while performing in Broadway's short-lived 1991 musical Nick & Nora, returned to the stage together in Thorn and Bloom (1998),[22] and collaborated on several films, such as Road Ends, Edie & Pen, Let the Devil Wear Black, and American Perfekt.

Gleason's siblings are television writer/director Sharon Hall Kessler and Emmy award-winning television writer/director Richard Hall.[23]

Acting credits

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters Carol
1986 Heartburn Diana
1989 Crimes and Misdemeanors Wendy Stern
1991 F/X2 Liz Kennedy
1995 Mr. Holland's Opus Adult Gertrude
1996 Edie & Pen Maudie
1997 American Perfekt Shirley
1997 Boogie Nights Dirk's Mother
1997 Road Ends Armacost
1999 Let the Devil Wear Black Dr. Rona Hackley
2001 The Wedding Planner Mrs. Donolly
2006 Wedding Daze Lois
2007 The Girl in the Park Sarah
2008 Sex and the City Therapist
2008 My Sassy Girl Kitty/Aunt Sally
2008 The Women Barbara
2009 The Rebound Roberta Finklestein
2013 Last Vegas Miriam Harris
2014 The Skeleton Twins Judy

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1979 Diff'rent Strokes Morgan Winslow 3 episodes
1979–80 Hello, Larry 37 episodes
1981 Bosom Buddies Faith Crane Episode: "What Price Glory?"
1982 Love, Sidney Gail Episode: "The Activist"
1983 The New Leave It to Beaver Kimberly Episode: "Still the Beaver"
1983 Great Day Jennifer Simpson Television movie
1991 Into the Woods Baker's Wife Televised Broadway performance
1991 The Boys Marie Television movie
1992 For Richer, for Poorer Irene Television movie
1992–95 Love & War Nadine Berkus 67 episodes
1993 Born Too Soon Annemarie Television movie
1994 For the Love of Aaron Shirley Television movie
1996 The Outer Limits Leslie Episode: "Inconstant Moon"
1996 ER Iris 3 episodes
1996 If These Walls Could Talk Julia (segment: 1974) Television movie
1996–98 Tracey Takes On... Katherine Hawkins
LeAnne the Stewardess		 2 episodes
1997 Adventures from the Book of Virtues Delia Young Voice; Episode: "Generosity"
1997 Temporarily Yours Joan Silver 6 episodes
1997 Perversions of Science Mrs. Rabe Episode: "Anatomy Lesson"
1997 Murphy Brown Athena Gillington Episode: "Petty Woman"
1997–2004 King of the Hill Various Roles Voice; 8 episodes
1998 George and Leo Teacher Episode: "The Teacher"
1999 Friends Kim Clozzi 2 episodes
1998–2000 Oh Baby Charlotte St. John 28 episodes
2000–01 Bette Connie Randolph 18 episodes
2001 The Practice Henrietta Lightstone 2 episodes
2001–02 The West Wing Jordon Kendall 5 episodes
2005 Fathers and Sons Silvia Television movie
2009–12 The Good Wife Judge Romano 3 episodes
2010 How to Make It in America Ben's Mother Episode: "Paper, Denim + Dollars"
2010 Delocated Dr. Mitchell Episode: Conversions
2011 Royal Pains Evelyn Woodward Episode: Rash Talk
2013 Blue Bloods Grace Newhouse 2 episodes
2014 The Newsroom Nancy Skinner Episode: "What Kind of Day Has It Been"
2014–16 Sensitive Skin Veronica 6 episodes
2015 The Affair Yvonne 3 episodes
2019 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Janice Hoffman Episode: "Kimmy is in a Love Square!"
2021 The Bite Veruca Dumont 3 episodes
2022 The Good Fight Carmella Romano 1 episode

Theatre

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Year Title Role Theatre Notes
1972 Fiddler on the Roof Tzeitel[24] Long Beach Civic Light Opera, Regional
1974 Hamlet Ophelia[25] Mark Taper Forum, Regional Understudy
1975 All My Sons Ann Deever[26] Huntington Hartford Theatre, Regional
1975 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Rosemary[25] Long Beach Civic Light Opera, Regional Understudy
1977–78 I Love My Wife Monica Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
1980 On a Clear Day You Can See Forever Daisy Gamble/Melinda Regional Tour
1984 A Hell of a Town n/a Westside Theatre, Off-Broadway
1984 The Real Thing Charlotte Plymouth Theatre, Broadway Replacement
1985 A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Pam Haft Theater, Off-Broadway
1985 Longacre Theatre, Broadway
1985–86 It's Only a Play Virginia Noyles New York City Center Stage I, Off-Broadway
1986 Social Security Trudy Heyman Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway
1986–87 Into the Woods The Baker's Wife Old Globe Theatre, Regional
1987–88 Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway
1989
1989 Eleemosynary Artie New York City Center Stage II, Off-Broadway
1991 Nick & Nora Nora Charles Marquis Theatre, Broadway
1997 Into the Woods The Baker’s Wife Broadway Theatre, Broadway 10th Anniversary Concert
2004 The Normal Heart Dr. Emma Brookner Anspacher Theater, Off-Broadway
2004 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Muriel Eubanks Old Globe Theatre, Regional
2005–06 Imperial Theatre, Broadway
2008 Something You Did Alison 59E59 Theaters, Off-Broadway
2009 Happiness Arlene Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Off-Broadway
2010 Into the Woods The Giant's Wife Diablo Theatre Company, Regional Pre-recorded voiceover
2011 Sons of the Prophet Gloria Huntington Theatre Company, Regional
2011–12 Laura Pels Theatre, Off-Broadway
2022 Anyone Can Whistle Narrator Carnegie Hall Concert
Into the Woods The Giant's Wife Big Noise Theatre Company, Regional Pre-recorded voiceover

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Project Result
1985 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play A Day in the Death of Joe Egg Nominated
1988 Best Actress in a Musical Into the Woods Won
2005 Best Featured Actress in a Musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Nominated
1985 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Joe Egg Nominated
1986 It's Only a Play Won
Social Security Won
1988 Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Into the Woods Won
2005 Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Nominated
1988 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Actress in a Musical Into the Woods Won
2005 Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Dirty Rotten Scoundrels Nominated
2012 Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Sons of the Prophet Nominated
1977 Theatre World Award — I Love My Wife Won

References

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  1. ^ "Joanna Gleason profile". filmreference.com. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  2. ^ a b Kleiman, Dena (May 4, 1986). "Joanna Gleason keeps a secret as acting tool". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Hall, Monty; Bill Libby (1973). Emcee Monty Hall. New York: Grosset & Dunlap. ISBN 978-0-4480-1551-4.
  4. ^ "Notable Alumni Actors". UCLA School of Theater, Film and television. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2014.
  5. ^ "Susan Stroman, Joanna Gleason & More to Teach Masterclasses at Open Jar Institute's 10th Anniversary, 8/2". Broadway World. July 12, 2013.
  6. ^ a b "Joanna Gleason". Masterworks Broadway. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  7. ^ Berkvist, Robert (May 27, 1977). "New Face: Joanna Gleason". The New York Times.
  8. ^ a b Klein, Alvin (February 23, 1986). "THEATER; Joanna Gleason: At age 35, a character actress emerges". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "The Real Thing". IBDB. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  10. ^ Rich, Frank (January 7, 1985). "Stage: Dale and Channing in Nichols's 'Joe Egg'". The New York Times.
  11. ^ Rich, Frank (November 6, 1987). "Stage: 'Into the Woods,' From Sondheim". New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  12. ^ "The Tony Winners". The New York Times. June 7, 1988.
  13. ^ Rich, Frank (December 9, 1991). "Review/Theater: Bostwick and Gleason in 'Nick and Nora'". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Jones, Kenneth (July 16, 2004). "Complete Casting Announced for 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' Musical". Playbill.
  15. ^ Genzlinger, Neil (October 19, 2006). "Fit for a Soap, Made for the Stage, the Tribulations of an Oil Family". The New York Times.
  16. ^ "Joanna Gleason". broadwaymentorsprogram.com. Retrieved March 24, 2018.
  17. ^ Canby, Vincent (October 13, 1989). "Review/Film: 'Crimes and Misdemeanors', New from Woody Allen". The New York Times.
  18. ^ Holden, Stephen (May 10, 1991). "Review/Film; The Old Gift for Gadgetry And a New Robotic Sidekick". The New York Times.
  19. ^ Scott, A.O. (January 26, 2001). "FILM REVIEW; Some Things Just Can't Be Planned". The New York Times.
  20. ^ Marks, Peter (March 30, 1997). "Like 'Mary Tyler Moore', With Attitude and Accent". The New York Times.
  21. ^ Salamon, Julie (October 11, 2000). "TELEVISION REVIEW: Divining Miss M, So Supremely Anxiety-Ridden". The New York Times.
  22. ^ Simonson, Robert (July 9, 1988). "Joanna Gleason and Chris Sarandon Pluck L.A. Thorn & Bloom July 9". Playbill.
  23. ^ Simonson, Robert (September 28, 2011). "Joanna Gleason: Choosing Parts Wisely". Playbill.
  24. ^ Drake, Sylvie. "LBCLO Presents Fiddler," Los Angeles Times, June 6, 1972.
  25. ^ a b Drake, Sylvie. "For Joanna Gleason, It's a Very Clear Day," Los Angeles Times, July 29, 1980.
  26. ^ Sullivan, Dan. "Mother Knows Best in 'All My Sons,'" Los Angeles Times, January 17, 1975.
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